Mail-bag catching and delivering device.



PATENTED JUNE 21, 1904.

I. L. NEIL. MAIL BAG'GATCHING AND DELIVERING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED DEO. 1, "19112.

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No. 763,316. l PATENTBD JUNE 21, 1904.-

P. L. NEIL. l MAIL BAG GATGHING AND DELIVBRING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 1, 1902.

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N0 MODEL.

No. 763,316. i

Patented June 21, 1904.

PATENT OEErcE.

PRYOR L. NEIL, OF BOISE, IDAHO.

MAIL-BAG CATCHING AND DELIVERING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 763,316, dated June 21,1904.

Application led December l, 1902. Serial No. 133,506. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PRYOR L. NEIL, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Boise, in the county'of-Ada, State of Idaho, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Mail-Bag Catching and Delivering Devices,of which the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings as a part thereof.

My invention relates to means for delivering and catching from atraveling train mailbags of the class for whichI heretofore madeapplication for Letters Patent, filed June 13, 1902, Serial No. 111,563;and my invention has for its object the providing of practical andsimple contrivances for the purposes mentioned. The construction andoperation of such devices are fully described and illustrated in thedrawings above referred to.

In such drawings, Figure 1 shows perspectively one of my cranes to belocated at a railway-station and operating' to both deliver and catch amail-bag as a train passes. Fig. 2 is a plan, on a larger scale, of theswiveling catcher c. Fig. 3 is a detail, perspectively shown, of suchcatcher. Fig. 4 is a partial detail in perspective of the delivery-trayr. Fig. 5 is a detail of the stop g' or means for alining the catcher Cin proper position. Fig. 6 shows perspectively a partial side door of amail-car, illustrating the disposition of the tray for supporting themail-bag to be delivered. Fig. 7 is an elevation of the upper part of alike door of the mail-car and shows the catcher-arm in place. Fig. 8 isa detail of such catcher.` Fig. 9 is a detail of the vhooked extremityof the catcher-arm. Fig.

10 is a partial detail of the tray /L and illus- -trates moreparticularly the operation of the means provided on the tray for holdingthe ring of the mail-bag in position for delivery, and Fig. 11 isanother perspective detail of said tray.

The letters designate the parts referredto.

There are two devices comprised in my invention operatingsimultaneously, one device delivering and the other catching the mailbagat a station while the train is in motion.

The details of construction of these devices vary somewhat, according towhether constituting part of the equipment of the mail-car or of thecrane at the station, but their mode of operation is substantially thesame.

The devices of the crane consist of a tubular post spiked to cross-tie cand braced by rods b. At the upper end of the post is secured an arm b2by means ofareducing-coupling b3. The arm b2 supports a shed or roof if,the function of which is to cover and protect against rain or snow themail-bag B when placed on the flat tray L. The latter is rigidlysupported by a horizontal arm L. It is designed to support a mail-bag ofthe particular' type invented by me, such bag being provided at thebottom with a socket holding an endwise-movable D-ring B, and to holdsuch ring in upright position ready for the catcherarm of the mail-carthe tray is provided with an angular portion 7a2 and a clamping-spring7a3, the same operating as described in my said previous application forLetters Patent and illustrated herein in Figs. 4 and 10. Below the trayis secured the swiveling catcher C. Such device consists of an arm andbrace C, respectively, provided with eyes C2, inserted on the post b andheld in position by set-collars z' c" 2. At the extremity of the arm Cis an integral cross-piece C5, having projecting members C3 C4. rIhereis furtheracross-piece d, the extremities of which have recesses di, andherein are pivoted the keepers d', controlled by springs (Z2, the freeends of which springs bear against pins cl3. All this isillustrated inthe detail Fig. 3. The inner faces yof said spring-keepers d areconcaved and slope back so as to more securely lock the ring B of themail-bag in place. The extremities c c7 of the members 0 3 c:L areturned back and also slightly up to provide hooks, operating to hold thering of the mail-bag from slipping 0H catcher in case the speed of thetrain should not have been sufficient to drive such ring past the keeper(Z. A detail of this construction is shown in Fig. 9. Either one of themembers c3 c4, according to the direction of the train, enters the eyeof the ring of the mail-bag lying on the tray K, projecting from thedoorway of the mail-car. The impact of the ring B' of the mail-bag withthe catcherarm C causes the latter to swirl around until IOO stopped bystriking against the chain f, held taut by a Weight f. The catch-arm Cis alined in proper position by means oi' the rigid guide-arm g, havingat its end a transverse grooved and beveled bar g, operating as shown inFig. 5. The hook ,7' is provided to suspend a lantern at night-time.

The mail-car is also provided with devices for catching and delivering amail-bag the devices for delivering the mail-bag consisting of aremovably-hinged tray made of sheet metal, (shown in Fig. 6,) comprisinga fiat bottom /L and wind-guard 7e lf2, the portion 712 being formed atan angle to more ef- Jf'ectually deflect the air-current striking thetray. In constructing such tray the front end oi` the bottom is cut witha projecting lip /t, which is turned up and riveted to the angle portion1, bracing the same. The tray is provided with hinge-knuckles la, bywhich the tray is supported from hinge-pins n n', inserted in both sidesof the door-casing. Hand-holes 7:3 are provided for convenientlyhandling the tray. Two trays of the style described are required to beused With each car, the trays being adapted for travel in oppositedirections. The hinge k" is constructed to serve also as a stii'cningfor the corner or' the tray. Until the train is about to arrive at thestation where the mail-bag is to be delivered the tray is turned inparallel to the door-casing and secured in such place by a hook O,inserted in hole 71:7. To hold the ring B' of the mail-bag B in uprightposition for the catcher-arm C of the crane, said tray is provided withthe usual angular portion and clamping-spring Z and with an auxiliaryclamping-spring fm (see Fig. 11,) the combined actions of such clampingdevices holding the ring B, as shown in Fig. 10.

To hold the tray extended in position for delivering the mail-bag B onthe catcher-arm C of the crane, there is secured to the outside of thecar an arm p, having a spring-latch y), operating as shown in Fig. 6.

The catcher-arm of the mail-car consists of a rod g, a casting q', andarm s, welded together. The catcher-arm is pivoted to the door-casing byhinge-plates /r 1' and is secured by key u, and it is provided with ahandle g3 to lift the catcher-arm in position to pick up the mail-bag onthe tray /L of the crane, the proper position of the arm s beingdetermined by a stop-chain q, The elastic bumpers rf and are provided toreduce the force of the impact with the ring B of the mail-bag whencaught. The catolicialso has a springcontrolled keeper q, functionatinglike keepers Z' of the catcher oi' the crane. The extremity or' the arms has a hook 3 for the purpose specified with respect to like hooks onthe extremities ot' the members c3 and c", Fig.

Now what .l claim isl. A catching' and delivering' device for mail-bagsof the class specified, consisting of a tray or table, on Which tosupport the mailbag to be delivered; means on the tray for removablyholding the ring of the mail-bag in upright position; and a catcher,comprising a pivoted slanting arm, adapted to enter the eye of the ringB of the mailbag, and a springcontrolled keeper, for holding said ringagainst slipping off the arm again, substantially as described.

2. A catching and delivering crane for mailbags ofthe class speciiied,consisting of a post, a projecting rigid tray or table; means on thetray for removably holding the ring B of the mail-bag in uprightposition; a roof projecting from the post and covering said tray; aswiveling projecting catcher below the tray and consisting of asvviveling arm c; members c3 0*, having hooked extremities andspringcontrolled keepers dl; and a means for alining the swivelingcatcher in catching position, substantially as described.

3. A catching and delivering crane, for mailbags of the class specified,consisting of a post, a projecting rigid tray or table /1/ provided withmeans for removably holding the ring B of the mail-bag in uprightposition; a rootl 7;* covering said tray; a swiveling catcher-arm C,comprising members c c* having hooked extremities, and spring-controlledkeepers d', means for alining the swiveling catcher-arm in catchingposition, and means for breaking the rotary force of the catcher-arm,after having caught a mail-bag from a passing train, substantially asdescribed.

4. The combination With a mail-car of a removably-hinged tray, forholding the mailbag to be delivered, and tray, comprising a fiat bottom,one side, and partial and adapted to encompass one side of and shieldthe mailbag against the wind, and means for removably holding the ring Bof the mail-bag in upright position; and a latch secured to the exteriorof the car, for holding the tray extended from the car, substantially asdescribed.

5. rlhe combination with amail-car of a removably-hinged tray forholding the mailbag to be delivered` such tray comprising a bottom side7c and partial end/c2, adapted to shield the mail-bag against the wind,angular portion z, spring-clamp Z, and springclamp fm.; and an arm psecured to the exterior of the car and provided with spring'- latch pfor holding the tray extended from the car, substantially as described.

'6. The combination With a mail-car, of a mail-bag catcher comprising arod q, casting q and arm s, Welded together, the rod q being pivotallysupported across the door-casing; a bumper q1; a spring-controlledkeeper 15; the arm s having a hooked extremity for the purpose stated; ahandle q2; and means for determining the proper elevation of the arm .vwhen projected to catch a mail-bag ly- IOO ing on the tray of the crane,substantially as set forth.

7. The combination With a Inail-car, of a mail-bag catcher comprising arod q, casting q and arIn s, Welded together, the rod q being pivotallysupported across the door-casing; a bumper g4; a spring-controlledkeeper Q5; the arms having a hooked extremity for the purpose stated; ahandle q2; and a chain Q3, one end of which is attached to thedoorcasing and the other end being attached to -the handle g2, to lirnitthe elevation of the arm s, When projected to catch a mail-bag, lying onthe tray of a crane, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto aflixed my signature, in thepresence of two Witnesses, this 2d day of October, 1902.

PRYOR L. NEIL.

Witnesses:

T. J. GEISLER, R. W. MITCHELL.

